Shore to Sea: All Broken Up Inside.
(Inactive)

The heroes are called to investigate a young man's claim that something from the sea kidnapped his fiancé while he was visiting her at a remote village. What was it, and will the heroes be its next victims?

The Lady Dizit Sama, sat in the court yard, a small fountain bubbled away wile the rest of the formal gardens starched out to the west wing and the Queens rooms there. Sun high over head the sounds of spring should have been lilting all around, but not this day. This day the sounds from the streets outside the walls where of bloody revolution. The Mob was up and the city militia was with them. Dizit could see palace guards men begin to desert their posts. She she looks around knowingly

It always come to this point, them moment they releases the jig was up, the old order was done for, will not be long now

And as if on Que, two large glassed doors flung open and a small man half naked came running out looking around wide eyed, Holding a bed sheet to hid his nakedness.

"Traitors! I'll have you all hanged DO YOU HEAR ME!! HANGED!!, come back here NOW, I want to go to the summer palace."

behind him a young woman cam running out just as naked but hands full of fine palace Jade.

Smart Girl thought Dizit, your going to need that in the weeks to come.

The King for that was who he was, spotted Lady Sama, he came running over

"Lady Sama, you, you will help me yes? you know how to get me out of here, help me I'm your king"

Looking at him now nude and begging she felt for a moment a tinny bit of piety to man, who had killed 100s with the wave of his hand. Why? because he was bored, they had looked funny, or he felt slighted by them. Trivial petty childlike reasons to use his power to take lives like others cut flowers. It was the indifference that she found so disturbing, he never even gave them a send thought. She placed down her book and looked at him.

"Great King Golig could it be you need some thing from me? where are your master Mages, your knights of the sword, your master of spy's?"

She knew just where he was, behind the large bush to her left his brains leaking out of his ear, shame he had found her out just before the end, o well

"Yes, yes your the Consort to my best general Nrax send him a massage, tell him to bring the army at once."

Time to make the penny drop

"why dear king, you know I would but yesterday I was talking to the General and told him I liked the smell of the Roses from Algrin some 200 miles away, and do you know what the sweet old man did, he went off with that old army of his to get me some, I would think they are some 100 miles away by now, don;t you think that was sweet of him"

She said the last few words with a smile.

"HE DID WHAT!! you silly girl do have any idea what you have done!! I'm lost, O my god I'm lost"

Seeing his pride brake she just could not stop there now could she.

"The funny thing is I have another admirer dear king, his name is Folick, tall man always giving silly Speeches about this and that, well I was talking to him and said how much money you liked to spend here on the things, This garden, on all things jade, and that gold mechanical elephant you used the water drought tax for. Mind you he was upset when I told him the fact you own so much money to other citys. He was really interested last night and when I said my chum the general and his army would be heading off. well he have to go and give a big Speech to a lot of very angry farmers. Something to do with no rain magic this year. So boring, but you know when I told Jurax that nice x-murderer you made head of the palace guard about all this today, well he was very interested, after I told him, he said he needed to go to the treasury at once to make sure it was safe. But when I looked he was leaving the city with a big wagon and was not at treasury. But O want a fun day it has been king shall we play some games?"

The king seemed apoplectic with anger, he was actually starting shake.
Then at last hes voice came back

YOU! You!..

Time to finely make this fool get it.

"Yes me, I did it all, I pulled your world apart you moron of a man, I walked in here one year ago and in that short time I have broken you down to a flapping naked pig ready for the public spit. Now if this was one of your night plays you liked so much, one ones with real deaths, the villain, me, would tell all about she did it. But its not, you will never know, but for real deaths, well goodbye silly king."

As she said the last for words her mind had gone out and found his, he tried to stop her but she crushed his ego like and egg shell. Then she poured into his living mind every thing she had done to bring down his world, the the 100s of faces of the soon to be killed, he had send with out thought to the gallows. More the staving on the streets, the sick and ill, every thing he had never seen or cared about, as she did so his brain began to liquefy, a pink mess rand down from his ears and mouth, she pushed more, his eyes rolled back and like a tree felled he slammed into the flag stones, his skull making a sickening sound as it cracked open.

She stood and picked up her book, she wanted nothing from this place, only to get to that ship in the harbor and off to another city. She had been told by the Elan council a civil war was brewing in a place not to far way that would be bad, she best head over and see what all the fuss was about, try and slow thing down. walking away she ever even looked back a the mob spilled in and found the Tyrant king dead.

Then again there was that other mission, highly dangerous they said, could be fun, we shall see.

For the sake of simplicity I will assume you were supposed to meet the noble at about the same time at a restaurant.

As the group is waiting at a table that has been reserved to them a tall human male who appears to be approaching 50 years of age enters the restaurant, and walks over to where you are.

"Hello my name is Thalin L'ong, and I am very happy that you have at least considered taking a look into this for me. Now, I don't know much about what happened. All I know for a fact is that my nephew's fiancee was said to be kidnapped by some strange beast in a village about 100 miles from here. I do not know if you have this information already or not, but I am offering 1000 gp per person with an extra 2000 if the girl is brought back alive. While we are waiting for the food could you introduce yourselves."

The Lady Sama rises has he comes in She hands him small letter of introduction. She has a finely made traveling suit with good boots and hat, a old haversack by her side and a fine MW Dagger on her belt, She stands all of 5 feet tool.

"I believe my credentials are all in order Master Thalin L'ong, for the others My name is Lady Dizit Sama and I am what you may call a professional Investigator, which means I specializes in finding things out. I do so hope we can all work on this task with alacrity, diligence and skill, I look forward to seeing each from all of you."

The brute looming in the corner seat absolutely dwarfs his chair, the table, the inn, and especially his stein… which looks about the size of a baby's sippy-cup in his head-sized, ham-thick fist. He sets it not-so-delicately on the table with a thump as the older human man approaches. His features -- somewhat Varisian in a thick-browed, heavy sort of way -- settle on the newcomer.

Nearly everything about the seven and a half foot brute says 'meat-head', from his thickly-muscled trunk to his travel-worn clothes to the weapons peeking out from a couple of places on his large body… until you notice his muddy-gray eyes, currently latched onto the man. You see a surprising level of intelligence and awareness in them. When he catches you watching him, however, he picks back up the baby-stein and buries his face.

Those eyes shift over to the lady, who looks like a porcelain doll by contrast. At the words 'alacrity', 'diligence', and 'skill', he rolls his eyes. The same eyes that lit up so brightly at the mention of the sum of gold offered in the deal.

He sets down the mug, clumsily sloshing ale onto the table for a second time. "A hundred platinum for the effort, with triple for success?" He scratches behind one ear with a thick finger as he gives a shrug, "Color me intrigued."

He looks around at the group, giving a quick nod to the elf -- who he already seems to know. "The name's Bryce. I'm just good at thumpin' things. Though I been known to find a thing or two, myself…. thems that needs trackin', anyway."

The absent minded elf looks up from his tools which he has splayed out on the table. He has been listening with half focus to the proceedings so far mumbling soflty to himself. After Bryce speaks, he knows it is his turn. He sets his tools down for a moment. "Yes, and I'm Castiel. I specialize in mounted tactics and spell duplication technologies." He picks up his tools for a moment and returns to tinkering. He seems oblivious to the world around him, but continues to talk in a louder mumble such that he can't be ignored easily. "I have brought a few previous examples here. " He holds up something looking like a bag of oats hanging from a coat hanger. "As you can see here, the transverse sheet would stretch across the void of fabric and interact with the... wait, no... the calibrated sensor... Ah, I can't remember. " He looks up, and turns red for a moment. "Anyways, I'm in. " He goes back to his initial invention. mumbling more softly now, to himself "...stupid anyways... probably wouldn't even get it..."

Dizit's words had done there job, seeing the fiscal actions of the seeming half-giant she thinks to herself.

There is more to that brute than then most would see, it seems I am not the only one here hiding things, and an arcane tinker of some kind, not a Gnome for once most fascinating, is that an act as well? If it is, then it is a good one, do we have a game here of some kind, just who was this girl to have such players show up? or are they as they seem jobbing hands for hire, we shall see.

"As we are all in, I must agree with Mr Bryce in his question and add to who, exactly where?, when?, how? and maybe a some idea others have of just why?. The devils, Mr Master Thalin L'ong, they say are in the details and the more details you give us the better chance we have of finding this girl alive"

She takes out a large map-case from her haversack, the haversack must be magic as the case is longer than it. She looks throw her maps find the one she needs, she places a local map of the area on the table.

"could you show us just where, the name of the location, what you know of the events before, during and after the abduction, names of any eye witnesses and there current locations if know, also any other relevant information you may have and think we need. But before that should we not get more drinks and something to eat, this my take some time"

She takes out her note pad and sliver point pen, you may not she dos not seem to have touched her drink or food all the time you have been with her, then again you may not.

"Well I did not see the beast myself. My nephew did. I wanted to make sure you agreed before speaking to him. I don't want to be scaring people or starting rumors by telling anyone that did not need to know about the situation. He will be here in about 20 minutes. It was assumed that in 20 minutes you would either still be here because you accepted the deal or you would have left already."
"Order what ever you like. I will take care of the bill."

Into the tavern strides one of the strangest beings you have ever laid eyes on. It appears to be a semi-translucent abberation constructed from body parts of various sea creatures. It sports two crab like legs, which are as translucent as glass. In between them, and acting as a third leg is a long fishlike tail that appears to only be covered in a thin layer of the translucent material. The torso is that of a man, except covered in a translucent chitinous exoskeleton. Both arms end in large lobster like claws inside which humanoid hands can be seen. The head is that of a shark-man with rows of spined fins running from the top of the head down the shoulders. It is wearing a cloak, and a utility belt with some small objects in pouches and straps. Around its head a dusky rose colored gem whirs in a steady orbit.

He sizes up the room for a moment before striding over to the table with the giant-man and other misfits. "You lot o' miserable landlubbers must be who I'm here for. Name's Rasso, I hear there's money to be made. Point me at 'em and they'll soon be dead."

Assume someone tells him the money offered and the job without actually having to repeat it again.

"Find a wee lass? Not my normal kind of work, but for that kinda booty I'm willing ter look." He calls a waiter/tress over and says, "Bring me a glass o' yer finest rum l(addie/assie). Double quick 'bout it now, a man has a thirst."

"I'm a merman! And a mighty fine one if I do say so meself. Water wasn't big enough fer me, so I conjured up this shell. Lets me walk around on land, like you monkeys." he answers to Bryce. He looks at Lady Sama's maps and note taking paraphernalia and continues, "I'll let that fine little Lady do the question askin'."

Castiel looks up as the merman enters. He is intrigued, but he sits back in his chair watching for a moment. He attempts to gauge the functionality of the conjuration and wonders how he could replicate it. He says nothing during this time, waiting for the information to reveal itself. He has found from his experience that when he opens his mouth, bad things often happen. He does note the Sama seems to be very organized and business-like. He likes her.
On a trip for the next few days. Should still be posting regularly, but it may be interrupted.

As everyone is enjoying the meal a young human appearing to be about 25 years of age walks in, with a some what nervous look on his face, and heads over to your table.

Mr.L'ong, stands up to greet him, and says "This is my nephew Adler Vanderholt. I will now let him do the talking."

Adler says with much stammering, "My soon to be wife and I were following the tradition of visiting the island of Nal-Kashel where the Wedding Rock lies. On our way from the Wedding Rock to the village something that I can only describe as a sea witch conjured up 4 humanoid shaped creatures, and they snatched Sara from the boat. I eventually made it to the village, and there were more of them there. I am just a salesman. I could not do anything so I got on my horse and rode back here."

"I know this must be a most upsetting my lord Adler Vanderholt, and understand we are not just here to retrieve your future bride alive, but also to bring honor once more back to you and your house. You may if you wish join us in this endeavor, but I would advise you do not, should this be the start of a concerted attack on on House Vanderholt. You will be needed to muster its defenses here. This may not be the case and this may just be a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time for you and your beloved. But why take that chance, you will be paying us well to act as your proxies in this matter so let us do out work and when and if we can report back to you on what we find wile you ready your defences here in case they may be needed."

Dizit sits back and looks at the uncle that should hold the young lad off getting himself killed under our feet, he uncle would not have set this up if he did not want his nephew out of harms way, But the boy has to have a way to save face. Could he be the last male of this line? humm

"Now take you time but we will need to ask you more things, so I have to say this is the island of Nal-Kashel,"

Dizit points at one of here maps,

"yet there is nothing here on my maps of a 'Wedding Rock' could I ask what is this tradition you talk about? and do you know when it started?, also could I ask have to ask you, just what you did at the Wedding Rock?."

She waits for him to say and then asks

"you say you headed for a village, what would be its name and where is it location, on the island or the mainland my lord."

"It looked was humanoid in shape. It had gills, and it had magic. I guess that makes it a sea-witch.", he says with less certainty than before.

Adler then turns to Dizit.

"The marriage is normally consummated at the Wedding Rock. I know we were not married yet, but it was only a week away. We were about to return to her village when she was snatched underwater. The tradition has been around for as long as anyone can remember.

"The name of the village is Blackcove. It is on the mainland.Wedding Rock is on a nearby island."

While he is talking he is drawing a map, giving detailed instructions on how to get to the village.

"So you broke the tradition by having coitus on this wedding rock with out actually being man and wife, that is wedded, I think you may find the root of your problem there, Traditions have a nasty habit of being founded in a fact of some kind. Have you ever been told of others who did this out of wedlock and what may have happened to them?. One has to ask just who started this tradition and why?, what where you told from your elders about this mirage rite? "

Looking at both the boy and his uncle,

"More to the point, why do it, just following tradition just dos not seem to be believable with such a long and hazardous trip my lords. So I have to ask, why do this? What did you think to gain or to stop by this action of geological pacific copulation at sea?.

She sites back, Time to make them understand

I ask because you said, other of the 'things' where at this village with would indicate not a single being hurting you but a group of beings, with I must add some intent to take one of you and drive the other away. that sounds very much like a intentional or unintentional sacrifice to me, what say you?"

Dizit looks intently at their faces as they reply.
Lets see if there is a deeper history to this, did some one in the past make a deal with some power and now you have broken that deal my lordlings? and who was this girl and was she part of the deal if any

"We saw no reason to wait, and I doubt any creatures have much interest in our personal lives anyway. The tradition is just tradition. It can't be that important. I also have no idea why they did not grab me, or why they were at the village when I got there."

"Hmm, ponderous.." Castiel says. "This woman was taken away under the waters? How can you be certain she was not drown in the process? It seems to me that, unless there was a very nearby cave, or the woman was magically provided with waterbreathing, she may already be gone. Did you at least search the area?"

Adler gives Rasso a strange look, but does not respond.
He then turns back to Dizit. "She is from Blackcove."

He then tells Castiel, "She may not be alive anymore, and if that is the case then I guess I have to accept it, but I had to do something, even if that was getting my uncle to hire someone. I did not search the area, because I knew I was not equipped to deal with sea-witches and whatever than can conjure up."

"She is from the same village, humm, and you have it in your mind that this is a sea-witch and all the other things where conjure up but her/it. You see that sounds to much like there is a legend behind this tradition. You may have been told it as a child and forgotten it, I must say we will ask other here about what this tradition is about. And if the some one says 'sea-witch' we will know there is more to this, that a unlucky event.
Unless any others here have any more questions"

Dizit waits for them to be asked then says

"To end my lords, we will need 500gp each upfront to cover expenses and equipment hire, this is sum is negotiable, the balance to be paid on compilation of the investigation to the survives. Also I have to ask this, if we find her live then all's well and good. But if we should finds her body or any part of, do you wish us to return it for reincarnation of resurrection purposes, death after all can be undone with the right magics my lords, what say you?"

Thalin L'ong, says "Return the body if possible in the event that she is not alive. We would like for her to have a proper burial. As for the money up front I guess I can give you 750 now, well not right now, but as soon as you finish your meals we can go get it."

"If not then could I suggest out next course of action, A chat with a local bard would be good, find out more about this tradition and gossip. Then we should get what we need and head off to the village of Blackcove.I feel we should get a cart and horses for the trip, at 100 miles it will take us 3 to 4 days to get there. Unless of course we have the chance to go by water, then a stout water craft would do."

Looking at Rosso

"Master Rosso, would you know a lot about such things if so, it may be best you handled such preparations?"

Then she looks at Master Brinner

"Master Brinner I have a feeling you some one who knows how to handle himself and others should the need for violence come about. I am poorly skilled is such"

Dizit pats the small dagger by her side.

"Master Rasso will be otherwise engaged as our captain, so would it be to much of an imposition to ask they you be our commander in combat and take on the task over overseeing our marshal needs."

Then she looks at Master Hardins

"The Master Hardins, by your arms you look like a man who knows war and gods, would I be wrong in this? could I ask that you second Master Brinner and also act as out divine expert, should this be a matter of gods we will need your knowledge and skills to lead us."

Then she turns to Lashilsh working away.

"Master Lashilsh, it seems we will be needing some means to breath and move underwater, I feel such things are your areas of expertise, if you feel up to the task would you be willing out help us with such things and any other such magics we may need?."

She sits back, and hopes they agree wile adding

"If all are agreed, moneys have been made available, spend it as you see fit sirs on what you need for this task. I feel once done here we should be away to Blackstone as soon as we can."

then she looks back to the two fine gents

"My Lords, what family dos your wife have?, I feel we should like to meet and talk to them."

Castiel sits up in his chair. " We should not delay much longer. Each moment wasted could bring the woman closer to death or worse. "
He gathers up his supplies into his backpack as the group prepares to leave.
"I suppose I could salvage some parts in order to make some re-breathers. It would take time though. Likely more time than we have. I suggest we depart as quickly as possible. While we travel, I shall attempt to fashion some useful tools." Castiel turns to Thalin. "Sir, a wand of water breathing would suffice for the group rather than any other upfront payment. "

knowledge arcana to see if he even knows what the spell is:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
He replies, "Those wands are a bit pricey. How about I get you some scrolls instead?"3rd level wands are over 11,000 gp

you already know my answer Dizit my healing and divine energy is yours.Leon pauses for a moment.though I feel some fool play here...oh well we will find out once we have a look around this "wedding rock".

Dizit is pleased to see the rag-tag group starting to act cohesively as she packs her maps away.

"It looks like we shall be riding to the Village then, my lords we will be use of a coach and horses to take us there, I assume you have one for our use? If there is a water way they a water craft of some king, Master Rasso will deal with that. let us be on our way then shall we."

"The Master Hardins … could I ask that you second Master Brinner [at combat captain] … ?"

Bryce responds with the classic deer-in-the-bullseye-lantern-light look. He blinks once, twice, then seems to realize everyone seems expected to lead something. "Uh… sure."

All of a sudden having an abundance of nervous energy, he stands abruptly, seat banging onto the floor. It strikes you now that his full height is nearly 8 feet tall. "Well.. um… guess I should start preparin'."

His eyes dash around -- obviously looking for a way to look like he knows what he's doing -- before he rights his chair. "Actually, everybody here already geared up for combat? Ranged? Melee? Healing?"

He seems unaware that he's resting his meaty hand on what you had originally assumed was a huge novelty greatsword leaning in the corner -- barely fitting in the room from floor to ceiling.

He's never been what you'd consider any flavor of leader before... and his charisma (self-confidence) is tanked. But other than that, he's ready to rock! Anyone need anything for combat purposes? I assumed we pretty much came ready for the task. :)

"Then just the raw materials needed. That should cut the price in half for you. As we travel, I shall craft the wand into a useable condition. " He directs the first phrase to Thalin, but then gestures to the rest of the group, self confident in his practicality. "This, of course means that we will need a quality cart or ship for me to work in. Can't have our supplies upset of the table at every little bump in the road. Rasso, do you think this would be possible? "

"O I think the fine lords here will provide you with what they can Master Lashilsh, Knife’s Edge may be a large town but it has all you need I feel. My young lord I know when you said the Village and rock where 100 miles away. that was for dramatic affect, I can understand that with the sock of all this, in fact looking my maps I see it is in reality just some 2 hours ride or 8 hours walk away, A good wagon would get us there with in the day. This would mean us starting that much faster, and time may be sort."

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 Diplomacy roll + Skill

if that fails Ill use 1pp and activate "Empathic Connection" Power on the older one

"At the moment we're nowhere near the sea. I'll see about getting a boat once we get to (Insert Name of Wedding Rock Village Here). But, only time I've ever been on a ship is when I were pillagin' it. I'm a merman, we don't use boats. In fact, seeing the pretty way that the fine Lady here talks, it's probably her who should go about gettin' one. The last thing a town haunted by sea beasties needs is a giant lobster-shark-merman takin' their fishin' boats out for a joy ride. If you need to craft somethin' do it on dry land." Rasso sighs heavily. "Just because I gots fins don't mean I'm a sailor...damn racial profilin'" he finishes at a mutter under his breath. "Wench! More rum!" He calls out loudly to no one in particular.

Will save vs DC 16:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Thalin's eyes seem to glaze over for a moment, but the mental intrusion is fought off. He looks around and then returns his attention to the group.
"Sorry, but I already have to pay you a hefty fee for the investigation. Dropping another 5000 gold or more is going to strain my pockets too much. I can get you a horse and wagon though."

Bryce can't help but smile at the merman. "It at least means ya know more about the water than we do... gotta count for something, right?" When the merman looks over, Bryce just shrugs and holds up his hands in a 'not any skin off my ass' gesture.